Modular monocore structure for suppressors

ABSTRACT

A modular monocore suppressor may present a threaded addition which will attach to a given monocore structure to provide a rigid and unitary monocore of a given length. Casings may be made to fit both the combined structure and may also be modular in themselves. Different monocore baffle designs may be combined for enhanced effect.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority as a non-provisional perfection of prior filed U.S. Application No. 62/795,008, filed Jan. 21, 2019, and incorporates the same by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of firearms and more particularly relates to a modular monocore suppressor for use with firearms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One well known feature of firearms is the noise commonly made when firing one. This noise, or gunshot, is primarily generated by two physical occurrences. The first is the escaping of high-temperature and high-pressure gasses which follow the bullet as it leaves the barrel, and the associated pressure release of those gasses. The second is the sonic boom associated with the bullet as it exceeds the speed of sound. Unfortunately, being repeatedly subjected to gunshot noise does cause long-term health issues and hearing loss. Accordingly, there are good reasons to suppress the gunshot noise for the purpose of recreation and enjoyment.

Two common methods of reducing the gunshot noise are the use of subsonic ammunition (ammunition which does not break the sound barrier when traveling) and the use of suppressors, or silencers. As subsonic ammunition tends to have a smaller amount of propellant and so tends to not have as great a range as other comparable ammunition. With this disadvantage to subsonic ammunition, the use of a suppressor is popular among gun users. Suppressors also tend to reduce recoil and muzzle flash, increasing accuracy while shooting.

Suppressors typically reduce the noise of a gunshot by adding baffles and chambers, thereby increasing the volume into which gasses may expand after firing and disrupting the gasses in their travel through the barrel. The use of such chambers slows the gasses and allows them more time to cool. Slower and cooler gasses typically have a greatly decreased noise signature compared to faster and hotter gasses.

Suppressors are typically constructed in two types: detachable and integral. The detachable suppressor is usually depicted in media as an add-on part to the barrel of the firearm. The integral suppressor, however, is a generally non-removable piece usually of the barrel, though it may also be of the frame, of the firearm. In either case, weight is added to the firearm, usually towards the front, which does increase its encumbrance.

There is a growing movement towards what are called “monocore” suppressors. These monocore suppressors are typically constructed by having a casing with a removable solid and rigid framework contained therein (the “monocore”). This framework provides the baffles, chambers, and other features which slow the expanding gasses resultant from a gunshot. These monocores are distinct from previous, “baffle can,” designs which tended to have baffles and other structures as separate components. Older designs required that a great level of precision to reassemble a suppressor after maintenance, as these individual components had to the reassembled in an exacting order and relative positions to each other. Monocores have all the components of the suppressor's interior design on the same rigid frame, so all that is required to reassemble the suppressor is that the monocore be slid back into the suppressor casing and the casing's cap be replaced. Monocores are typically machined out of a single billet of base metal and as such can embody many different styles and shapes of chambers and baffles which could not have been constructed in the previous multi-component structures of the past.

While the monocore design is effective in both sound reduction and in reassembly of the suppressor, it is necessarily inflexible. A monocore will have a set length and fit in a set suppressor casing with no ability to modify the core or casing. This problem may be addressed by a modular monocore design. As such the length of the suppressor, and the number of baffles inside, may be increased or decreased according to the desires of the user. Increasing and decreasing such length will also affect the effectiveness of the suppressor, as a longer suppressor with more internal baffles will be more effective in deadening sound. Different baffle and expansion chamber constructions may also be utilized to provide additional customization.

The present invention is a modular monocore suppressor which allows a user to add or subtract length from a suppressor and its monocore according to desired results. The user may also add different shapes of baffles in combination with others to achieve a desired sound profile. The present invention represents a departure from the prior art in that the modular monocore of the present invention allows for one or more end pieces to be added to or subtracted from an existing suppressor's monocore to affect its overall length and baffle count. The outer casing may be similarly adjusted, or casings of alternate length may be provided. It is understood that the concept of a monocore is to have the entire inner construction of the suppressor assembled in one piece. Therefore, a “modular monocore” may seem oxymoronic. However, this Application uses the term to signify that the modules are assembled to form a rigid and unified interior construction for a suppressor that may be removable from the suppressor's casing and handled in one piece. No external structure, such as the casing, holds the modules together. Multiple monocore structures may be combined into a single monolithic structure which may be contained in one or more outer casings. As such, it will have all the advantages of a monocore with additional adaptability. The key requirement to be a modular monocore is that the modules will assemble in a manner that they are rigidly and statically fixed to each other with no external supports or fasteners, thereby creating a unitary monocore structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of suppressors, an improved modular monocore suppressor may provide an adaptable monocore design that meets the following objectives: that it is easily manufactured and that it maintains a monocore's rigidity and unity unless and until intentionally disassembled into component modules. As such, a new and improved modular monocore may comprise a suppressor casing containing a monocore base with at least one modular monocore additions in order to accomplish these objectives. The casing may also be a modular design.

The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow.

Many objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a firearm with a prior art monocore suppressor.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the prior art firearm and monocore suppressor of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a firearm with a modular monocore suppressor installed.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the firearm and modular monocore suppressor of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a firearm with a single monocore module installed as a suppressor.

FIG. 6 is sectional view of the firearm and modular monocore suppressor of FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the monocore suppressor of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the monocore suppressor of FIG. 3 with multiple module design options.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the modular monocore is herein described. It should be noted that the articles “a”, “an”, and “the”, as used in this specification, include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a firearm 50 has a prior art monocore suppressor 10 installed on its barrel. The suppressor 10 features an end cap 15 and casing 17 over the monocore 13 and mount 11. For purposes of the invention, the mount 11 may be of any style or construction commonly utilized in suppressors, including but not limited to LID (Linear Inertial Decoupler) mounts and fixed mounts. Assembly is simple. A mount 11 is selected for the firearm 50 and the monocore 13 screwed into it. The casing 17 is then positioned over the monocore 13 and the end cap 15 screwed into the monocore 13, securing the casing 17 between the rim of the end cap 15 and either a rim on the monocore or against the mount 11.

The modular monocore design 20, shown in FIGS. 3-4, breaks the prior art monocore into at least two pieces 22, 24 which have a threaded interface. Base module 22 should contain a space in which to accommodate various shapes and sizes of mounts 21 so as to increase the availability of use with various weapon platforms. Casing 27 may likewise be divided into two pieces 26, 28 commensurate with the monocore modules 22, 24, or at least casing piece 26 being of commensurate length with the non-exposed portion of base module 22. Such a casing 26 would also still be considered commensurate with the base module 22. Each monocore module 22, 24 has a wider, internally threaded attachment end 21 and an externally threaded cap end 29 that are designed to interface with each other and the mount 11 (attachment end 21) and the end cap (cap end 29). When screwed together, these modules 22, 24 create a unified monocore 23 which may be used as with the prior art. The exposed attachment end 21 is screwed into the mount 11 while end cap 25 is screwed into the exposed cap end 29, securing the casings 26, 28 between it and, in the instantly illustrated case, a rim on the base monocore module 22. Optionally, a single casing 27 may be used.

When desired, one of the modules may be removed (FIGS. 5-7). The threaded interface between modules 22, 24 is the same as the threaded interface between the end modules and the mount 21 and end cap 27. In this manner, the modules 22, 24 are truly interchangeable and may be used individually providing there is a proper length casing 26, 28.

It should be noted that the monocore addition 23 may present many different baffle options, as shown in FIG. 8. Many possibilities are shown as 24, 24 a, 24 b, and 24 c. The baffling structure may take any form desired by the designer, and may include one or more baffles of various shapes, no baffles (24 b), or even a totally contained chamber (24 c). There is also no requirement that the utilized monocore modules need to have the same or similar baffle structure. As such, a user may experiment with different monocore modules 22, 24 to find a desired balance between suppression, encumbrance, and performance. Likewise, two or more additional modules may be added to adapt the sound profile. However, considerations of such an action must include the effect to the sheer encumbrance of the weapon and its performance. For purposes of this Specification, a similar baffle structure would be one where the base module 22 and additional module 24 are essentially a continuation of the baffling design from one module to the other. The depicted baffling designs are termed “different” as the base module 22 has slanted baffles while the additional module 24 has orthogonal ones. To be “similar” would only require the additional module 24 to have at least one baffle, and that baffle being of the same orientation as those of the base module 22.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. As a non-limiting example, the location of threading as to being internal or external may easily be reversed and the result still will fall within the purview of the invention. Metals such as steel or aluminum are ideal for use in the manufacture of the invention, but as more modern materials are developed, any appropriately durable material may be used. It should also be noted that the invention is to be practiced on any convenient weapon platform, so the use with different weapon mounts is desired and the depicted fixed mount 21 in the figures should not be seen as limiting the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A modular monocore suppressor comprising: a. a cylindrical, hollow casing; b. an endcap; c. a suppressor mount; d. a modular monocore baffle structure, said modular monocore baffle structure being comprised of at least two distinct modules that are fixedly but removably joined together with no external structure.
 2. The modular monocore suppressor of claim 1, the at least two distinct modules having a threaded interface that matches threaded interfaces with both the suppressor mount and the endcap.
 3. The modular monocore of claim 1, the cylindrical casing being further comprised of a plurality of pieces commensurate with the at least two distinct modules.
 4. The modular monocore suppressor of claim 1, the at least two distinct modules having different baffle structures. 